Shoe-shank.



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

ALBERT MUNSEY, OF SWAMISCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS,.ASSIGNOR ATO .MUNSEY SHANK& COUNTER CO., OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, -A COPARTNERSHIP.

SHQE-SHANK.

Patented News, 190s.

190s. serial No. 4s2,os1.

To all whom it may concern: j

Be it known' that I, ALBERT MUNSEY, a citizen ofthe United States, and aresident of Swampscott,y in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shoe-Shanksof which thefollowing description, in connection with the accompanylng drawings, isa specification,

like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to shoe Shanks, which while they maybe of generalapplication are particularly intended for use 1n connection with turnshoes.

In'order that the principles of the invention may be readily understood,I have disclosed a single type or embodiment thereof in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein 4.

Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section taken through a shoe towhich my invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a portionof aturn shoe, with parts omitted, showing my inventiona pied theretoFig. 3 is a plan View of the un er side vof the Shank; and Fig. 4 is avertical,` transverse section upon the line 4-4, Fig.. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing and to the particular type ofthe invention therein represented, the body of the shank is indicated at1, it being preferably and herein represented as composed of a. singlelayer of some suitable material, leather ,board being preferably used.Heretofore it has been sought to impart, proper curvature and strengthto a shoe shank by securing a longitudinally disposed spring Atheretobetween the outer and the next adj acent l'ayer thereof.- Instead ofapplying a stren thening spring to the flush face of the shan th'isbeing attended by certain serious defects, I longitudinally recessorcountersink the body of the shank as indicated at 2 and secure in saidrecess a plate spring 3A in any suitable manner, as, for exam e, bynails 4 at suitable pointsl andpreferab y short of the ends of thespring as indicated in Fig. 1.

It will be ap arent that, as shown in Fi 1, the body of tli)e shank,which is recesse or countersunk in any suitable manner to receive thespring, is made of the proper or predetermined curvature andthatthe'spring 3, which is secured in said recess by nails 4, is also of theproper or predetermined curvature, so as to fit therein and preferablyflush with the outer surface thereof. I am laware that it has beensought to embed a rod of malleable metal in a shoe shank, but in suchcase there is no resiliency imparted to the g shankbythestiffener.Moreover, thelongitudinal recess orcountersink 2 being of largerdimensions than the spring 3, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, permits asllght de ree of free play of the spring in the recess. 'Ihus in theevent of unequal ressure on the sole of the shoe, occasioned y anytwisting action thereof, or in the event that the heel is unevenly worn,the result is neither to disruptnor tear the spring from the'shank, norto break the spring, nor to injure the shank adjacent the edges of theends of the spring, as would be the result were the recess in the shankof the same dimensions as the spring, as must `be the case were the`spring Ato be forced` by pressure to embed itself in the shank.Moreover, and as represented in Figs. 2 and-3, the rearmost nail 4 is ata considerable vdistance from the rear end of the s ring. 3. This ermitsa very considerable egree of free p ay of the rear end of the ing tornfrom the shank as would be the case if the rear nail 4 were at or nearthe rear end of the s ring, fand also .preventsthe lateral edges o thespring from cutting into-the shank.

By embedding the s ring in a recessed or countersunk portion o theshank, many important advantages are secured. For example, the shank'may be composed of a single piece without an `overlylng layer. Asmoother nish may be given the shank, inasmuch as the spring preferablylies in said recess withits outer or under surface flush with the undersurface of the body of the shank. By locating the spring in the recess,

tudinal displacement and is thorou hly protected. Said spring beingembed ed, as it were,in the very substance of the shank, it issubstantially incorlporated therewith and imparts its strengt andresilienc thereto much more efliciently than thoug it were `merelyattached to a flush face thereof. Preferablythe rear end of the spring 3extends to the rear of the heel breast soas to overlie the heel75,-which affords a irmp'ivotal or beari'n point for the e'xure jof thesprin in wal g. Were the spring not seate in a recess,r it could not beextended spring in the recess when the heel is unevenly Worn, and thusprevents the spring from be it is more securely held from lateral orlongiover the heel Without tipping thelatter and thus seriously im airinthe shoe.

In advance of t e he end of the shank, I preferably reinforce the same'by providing a thickened arch sup orting filler portion, While suchthickene portion may be useful in various ty es of shoes and imparts atransticularly useful in turn or Welt shoes, masmuch as it acts as afiller for the space between the seams. Owingtothe' non-existence' of aninner sole in a turn shoe, it is desirable to fillthe cavity thusresulting, and ,this I find to be most effectively accom-v plishedinthemanner stated. The thickcned filler portion also serves an importantvfunction as an arch supporter. yWhile in certainembodiments of myinvention the protruding, thickened portion of the shank maybe integraltherewith, preferably an elongated stren thening filler patch 7 vissecured tothe shank in advance of the heel portion and along o positeedges of the recess, as by nails 8.- Whilev said patch may be of anydesired extent, I preferabl terminate it short of the rear or heel endof the spring 3. It is e patch may terminate short ofthe adjacent end ofthe spring. If desired, one or both ends of the patch may be beveled, asindicated at ,9, and a general rounded effect/ j may be given theretotransversely.

I m ortant advantages arise from the use of a erpatch underlying acountersunk s ring. It is found in practice easier to ap- I p y thelatter to a flush surface, and a better and sinoother'unioii of. thepatch and the body of the shank may be secured. The

, patch moreover aids to hold the s ring in portion, gitudinally curveplace and prevents it from Working either up into or through the shank,or down into or through the sole 1.2. Furthermore the atch 'may besecured tothe body of the,shan immediately adjacent the e ges of the s,Pring- This is of importance, as the shank is usu-` ally .very narrowat this point.' It is apparent that the patch or enlargement givesadditional strength to the shank andto the shoe as it reinforces theaction-of the shank and .spring in supporting the foot aswell as servingas an `-ar'ch support, and giving vthe desired crowned or curvedappearance to the sole 12 underlying the same;

In applying the shank to a turn shoe, the uppser 10 may be secured tothe shank as by na 11, after which the sole 12 is-secured to the rearportion of the upper and the heel 5 is then applied to theshoe. Thesprin 3 is a fiat spring inv that it has no abru but it may be andprefera ly is 1onto conform-to the-curvature of the shank, if that becurved. The shank 1 is fiat in the same sense.

bodiment ofthe invention, I desire it-.to be understood that althoughspecific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptivesense and not for purposes of hmitation, the sco e of the inventionbeing set forth in the following claims:

1. A shoe shank having a longitudinally ,l

disposed recess in the outer face thereof, `a plate s rin located insaid recess and substantia y ush Withthe outer face of the shank, and anelongated, stren thening filler patihisecuriili to the body of t un er ts 2. Aylslllie shak having 0f a single layer of matcri'allongitudinacessed'inits outer face, a plate spring'located and secured in saidrecess and substantially flush ywithfthe said outer face of the body,and an elongated, strengthening, arch su porting filler patch secured tothe said bo y along the side edges of said recess, butterminating shortof the rear end of said spring.

' 3. As an article of manufacture, ja shoe shank having av recess formedtherein for the insertion of a stiiiener, and of reduced thicke shankand a bddy Vcomposedl yrev ness Where recessed, a latfspring stilfenerinf serted insaid recess and resting agaiiist the bottom thereof, and afiller-[Etch applied to the recessed face of said shan i 4. As 'an'article' of manufacture, ashoe shank having a recess formed therein forthe4 insertion of a stiifener, and of reduced thickness whererec'essed,a fiat spring stiffener inserted in'said recess and resting against thebottom thereof, and a fillerl atch applied to the recessed face of saids ank, said fillerv l er'patch 'shank having a recess formed therein forthe insertion of a stifener, andof reduced thickness where recessed,a'iat spring stifener inserted in said recess and rest' against'thebottom thereof, saidstiffener being of smaller dimensions than saidrecess.` Y 7. As anv article of manufacture, a reinforced shoe shank ofpredetermined lon` 'tudinal curvature, compris' a shank bo y ofredeterniined longitudin aving a recess formed thei'einY for thereception of a vstiffener, a flat sprin rsimilar andpreviouslyimparteiongitudinal "curvature inserted in the recessed partofsaid shank body, anda filler the recessed face of said sha body.

8. As an article of manufacture, a flat lshoe shank having a recessformed in its unatch secured to derface for the insertion of a stiienerand of curvature and.`

stiffener of v Viso reduced thickness where recessed, a spring.stiffener Hat throughout, inserted in sard recess and resting againstthe bottom thereof and means to secure said spring in said recess.

9. As an article of manufacture, a shoe shank having a recess in oneface thereof, and a plate spring secured in said recess, the springbeing secured in said recessinadvance of the rear end thereof so as toleave the rear end free for movement relative to the Walls of A saidrecess.

10. As` an article of manufacture, a rein-` forced shoe shank ofpredetermined longituof reduced thickness whererecessed, and a A Vspringstifener flat throughout but of similar and previously impartedongitudinal curvature inserted in said recess and resting against thebottom thereof, and nails pene 20 'two subscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT Murisen- Witnesses:

IRvrNG U. ToWNsEND, EVERETT S. EMERY.

